Roasted Brussels Sprouts

with Red Chimichurri

When I was growing up, nobody liked to eat their brussels sprouts, so I was skeptical when the chefs wanted to put sprouts on the menu at Trejo’s. I’ve since learned that back in the day, nobody knew how to cook them. People used to boil them too long, which made them taste like sulfur. But then somebody figured out that you should roast the heck out of them, caramelize them, and make them toasty and tender. And now everybody loves them, including me. We deep-fry the brussels sprouts at the restaurant, which is insanely delicious but scary as hell. Roasting is healthier and way less scary.

The red chimichurri is different from the usual green version, thanks to smoked paprika and chipotle chili. It’s spicy, tangy, and smoky and is great on broccoli and cauliflower and all those other vegetables we used to hate but now love when they’re roasted the right way.

Serves 4 (makes ¾ cup chimichurri)

Brussels Sprouts

1½ pounds brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed, halved lengthwise

¼ cup pure olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Red Chimichurri

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 chipotle chile from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Roast the Brussels Sprouts Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Scatter the brussels sprouts on a rimmed 11 x 17-inch sheet pan and add the oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast the brussels sprouts until they are tender and brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the Red Chimichurri In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, chipotle chile, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the parsley and cilantro and stir to combine.

Add the roasted brussels sprouts to the chimichurri and toss to coat. Transfer the sprouts to a platter and serve.